Latest Updates on Advantage

There has been a lot of information passed around in the past month about the future of the Advantage program. Here is some of the latest information and what you need to know as a tenant:

— UPDATE: The trial court has ruled that the City is not obligated to continue making rental payments under Advantage. HOWEVER, the City has agreed to pay October’s rent and there will likely be further action at the Appellate Court level. Please click here for more info.

— UPDATE: The City has announced that it will make September rent subsidy payments for Advantage tenants. Click here for more information.

— UPDATE: The City has announced that it will make August rent subsidy payments for Advantage tenants.

— UPDATE June 2, 2011: The Appellate Court ordered Advantage rent be paid until the appeal is decided. Arguments will not be heard until September. This means that June rent will be paid! Additionally, it is likely that future months will be paid until at least September. Click here for more information.

— IF YOU RECEIVED THE CITY’S NOTICE THAT YOUR ADVANTAGE RENTAL PAYMENTS WILL BE CUT OFF, READ THIS IMPORTANT NOTICE FROM THE LEGAL AID SOCIETY EXPLAINING WHAT TO DO. Please note that the Coalition for the Homeless is working with Legal Aid to pursue a legal challenge to halt the City’s plan to terminate benefits for current Advantage tenants.

— TAKE ACTION! Send a letter to Mayor Bloomberg telling him to stop playing games, and to return to using proven Federal housing programs to help homeless families move from shelters to stable homes.

— Read our recently-released policy brief detailing why the City should end the failed Advantage program going forward and institute the better, more cost-effective approach of prioritizing homeless families for federal housing resources. Also see our blog post for more information here.

— Read the facts about the Mayor’s Advantage budget strategy, which falsely places blame on the State for the City’s decision to end Advantage.

— Read State Senator Liz Krueger’s blog on the Huffington Post urging the City to restore access to federal housing resources to homeless families.

— Read a press release by New York State Assemblymember Jim Brennan calling on the Mayor to return to the policy of referring homeless families to federal housing resources, such as public housing and Section 8.

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